It’s Coming: See What Might Be In Store for Firefox 5

Firefox 4 may have just dropped, but Firefox 5 is already on its way. According to ConceivablyTech, Firefox 5 may be here in a matter of weeks with a whole gamut of new features. So much for that long anticipated launch last month.

Mozilla’s development crew is said to be considering to add nine features to the next version. Reports abound that even if some of these changes don’t become implemented in the next browser iteration, they could very well come later.

Said to be specific to Firefox 5, it will become easier to share items online. Webpages will be able to be shared directly from the browser bar. The feature, which looks like a little paper plane, is assumed to support Facebook, Twitter and maybe similar social aggregators like Digg and Reddit.

The next version will also reportedly let each tab be fully customized as a menu, letting you explore the sections you most often visit. Firefox 5 is also said to better identity management, allowing you to sign in from multiple accounts.

Among some of the other considered changes include a tab multi-select option, which will let users select more than one tab. This feature enables web surfers to close or move several tabs at once. In addition to adding a file upload indicator, add-ons could also get standardized toolbar support.

The blog’s sources also say Mozilla is experimenting with getting rid of the “Home” button, without sacrificing functionality. The developers might be taking a hint from Google Chrome as well by adding an integrated PDF viewer: it’s not sure if this will expand to other file formats as well.

Mozilla is attempting to stick closely to a release schedule that could have users seeing new versions of the browser every 16 to 18 weeks. The second stage of development of Firefox 5 is slated to start later this month.

Erica Ho was previously a reporter for TIME in Hong Kong where she wrote about technology, pop culture and Asian international affairs. Before that, she worked at Gizmodo, Lifehacker and AOL. She now currently runs Map Happy, a travel-oriented site.